1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pocket billiard table and more particularly to a rail structure for pocket billiard table.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional pocket billiard table, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a rectangular tabletop 10, a plurality of rails 11 respectively arranged along the four sides of the table 10, four corner fittings 12 respectively disposed in the four corners of the tabletop 10 and connected between each two adjacent rails 11 and defining with the tabletop 10 a respective pocket 14, and four legs 130 respectively provided at the bottom side of the table 10.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, each rail 11 is formed of a number of wooden blocks 13 that are bonded to one another with glue. Further, each rail 11 has an inner sidewall 15, which is abutted against the tabletop 10 and has an upper sloping surface portion 151 and a lower sloping surface portion 152, a rubber cushion strip 36 bonded to the upper sloping surface portion 151 for stopping against the ball during the game, an outer sidewall 16 opposite to the inner sidewall 15, a locating groove 161 longitudinally formed in the outer sidewall 16 on the middle, a top wall 17 smoothly curved downwards from the topmost edge of the inner sidewall 15 toward the outer sidewall 16 and covered with a layer of ornamental covering 18, and a packing strip 19 fastened to the locating groove 161 and covered on the outer sidewall 16 for protection.
The top wall 17 has a locating groove 171 for the positioning of a locating block 172 to hold down one side of a cover cloth 173, which is covered over the rubber cushion strip 36 and has the other side affixed to the bottom side of the rail 11 by fastening members 174 (for example, nails).
After covering of the ornamental covering 18 on the top wall 17 of the rail 11, holes 111 are formed on the ornamental covering 18 and the top wall 17 of the rail 11, and then sights 112 are affixed to the holes 111 for reference in counting the ball striking angle. The rail 11 further has a plurality of bottom mounting holes 113 for fastening to the table 10 with fastening members.
The aforesaid structure of rail 11 has numerous drawbacks as follows:
1. Because the wooden blocks 13 that form each rail 11 have different density, the rails 11 vary in density. When the ball hits the rubber cushion strip 36, the respective rail 11 gives a different reactive force. This problem affects the ball control and the bouncing speed and direction of the ball.
2. The wooden blocks 13 of the rails 11 may deform due to a significant environmental temperature or humidity change. A deformed rail 11 makes aforesaid problem more serious.
3. The curvature of the top wall 17, the upper sloping surface portion 151 and lower sloping surface portion 152, the locating grooves 161 and 171 and the holes 111 of each rail 11 complicate the fabrication of the rails 11.
4. The consumption of wooden material threatens the ecological environment. It is against environmental protection to fell trees for making pocket billiards tables.